Unseasonable Flurries
by nuuial
Summary: A spring snow storm leads Elizabeth and Darcy to an earlier understanding


Unseasonable Flurries (It's Cold Outside)

After Mr. Darcy handed her his letter, Elizabeth immediately walked off in the opposite direction. She needed privacy to read what he wished her to know, and had no desire to come across anyone. She walked for quite a distance, the thick letter clutched tightly in her hand. She could not know for sure what it contained, but she imagined it was some sort of defence against the accusations she made to Mr. Darcy the night before when he proposed. That Mr. Darcy proposed was still astonishing, and though she felt the compliments of it, she was still exceedingly angry at his method of declaring his love.

She was also angry at her inability to exercise restraint in response to his overtures. She could have been kinder, and clearly her reference to Mr. Wickham pained him. Mr. Darcy's hand in the matter was atrocious, but no man deserved to have another man's name brought up by the woman he is supposedly in love with- especially during a marriage proposal.

Deciding she had walked far enough, Elizabeth pulled her spencer more tightly around her before sitting herself on a low stone wall. With some trepidation, she opened Mr. Darcy's letter and began to read. She had read the letter several times through before she noticed that the temperature had dropped quite significantly since she first walked out. Tearing her eyes away from Mr. Darcy's most charitable adieu, she gasped at the sight of snow falling gently all around her. Elizabeth smiled and twirled beneath the falling snow, amazed at snow in early spring and so far south. However, the weather began to turn colder and the wind picked up, tossing the snow wildly about her. She pulled her spencer tightly around her; letter clutched in her hand and began to walk the way she came. However, after a few minutes she realized she had no idea if she was heading in the right direction. And with the temperature dropping and the air increasingly white with snow, Elizabeth began to grow fearful.

Suddenly, there was a black figure a fair ways ahead of her and Elizabeth called out for help. The figure turned towards her and quickly moved to meet her. Elizabeth felt a strong arm pull her against a firm chest and she eagerly melted into the warm embrace. They were moving, trudging through the blowing snow. The ice in the wind burned on her face, so she turned more fully into the chest and inhaled a rich woody scent. The next thing she knew, her feet lifted off the ground and she was completely in the arms of the tall gentleman. But Elizabeth had no thoughts of impropriety or of anything really beyond how exquisite it felt to be held in such a manner and the protection he was offering against the storm.

An indeterminable time later, she felt herself set down, but wrapped up in a large coat, with a warm breath against her neck, as if someone was whispering in her ear. The dark rescuer moved away, but returned sometime later as Elizabeth began to return to her rational faculties. The storm was still roaring, but seemed to be coming from far away. The air around her was warmer, and a flickering light appeared in the periphery of her vision. She blinked, and shook her head lightly to clear her mind and risked a look towards the source of the light. It was a fire, lit in a stone fireplace of excellent condition; hanging above the fireplace was a landscape of the autumn countryside. Looking down at herself, she saw her right hand still clutching the letter to her chest. Surprised, she let go, and the paper fluttered heavily to the wooden floor.

"I hope you shall burn it," came a gruff voice from the left of her. Elizabeth looked up slowly, and was barely surprised to see Mr. Darcy, coatless, sitting heavily in a chair and warming himself by the fire.

Lizzy looked back down at the coat around her and blushed heartily as she recalled the events leading up to her present situation. So instead of replying, she looked in every direction except that of her rescuer. They were in what appeared to be a sitting room, but Elizabeth doubted any lady had ever entertained there. Upon further examination, the painting above the fire was a particularly graphic hunting scene. Framing the fireplace were the mounted heads of a buck and a fox. Elizabeth shivered and shifted closer to the fire. She heard Mr. Darcy clear his throat and shift in his chair.

"This is an old hunting lodge on the edge of Rosings Park. My late uncle would host hunting parties here every fall. I was last here when I was thirteen. It has remained in remarkably good condition since my uncle's death,"

Though he once again lapsed into silence, Elizabeth was grateful for his attempt at conversation. Her mind was so full of their last encounters that any distraction was most welcome. "What else is there in this structure?" Elizabeth asked a few moments later.

Mr. Darcy started in surprise at the sound of her voice, but soon replied, "It is but a small structure- more of a base for a day of shooting. There is subsequently a stable at the rear for mounts as well as a shack for the profits of the hunt to be stored. As for the lodge, aside from the present room, there are a few bedrooms in case of in-climate weather."

Elizabeth finally felt enough in her faculties to look at him; not directly at his face, but intently at his cravat. "I find I must thank you sir, for both your rescue of my person and your remembrance of this place. Without you, I fear I would have succumb to the elements,"

Mr. Darcy grimaced, "After I gave you… that letter… I intended to return to Rosings and prepare for my departure, but I found I could not bear anyone's presence. So I followed the same path we so often did. When the snow began, I hastened to the parsonage to ensure your safe return. When I learned you had not been seen since before breakfast, I set out in the direction I had last seen you go,"

"Once again, I am infinitely glad of your memory and concern for my wellbeing,"

"Concern?" said Mr. Darcy with some feeling. "You must know I would search all the earth for you if I knew you were in danger! I would not be long in this world if I knew you to be dead!"

Elizabeth blushed and focused on her twitching hands and realised belatedly that she had neglected to wear gloves. "Mr. Darcy, I wish, I wish you would not..."

Suddenly, Mr. Darcy was kneeled before her, enfolding her cold hands in his warms ones, and looking at her intently. "Elizabeth, please, I could not bear to hear anymore ill words from you. I beg you to spare me; whenever I close my eyes, I hear your most just condemnations over and over again. I would rather hear anything else from you,"

Elizabeth was struck by the desolate expression on his face and searching her own feelings, she knew that she no longer had any desire to hurt him so. It was all so very strange- the shifting of her own opinion. Yesterday, she had not only rejected his heartfelt, if flawed, proposal of marriage, she had intentionally attacked him with words she had purposely chosen to injure him the most. After the initial anger of the event had passed, she had felt ashamed of how she handled the situation. And now, after his words of explanation, she didn't know if she could forgive herself for so misjudging someone, and being so deceived- both by Mr. Wickham's venom and her own vain pride.

"Mr. Darcy, despite your distaste for the subject, I must speak to you of it. You must allow me to apologize for how despicably I have treated you. I have long prided myself on my discernment and have learnt I have greatly erred. Once you left last evening, and my passion had cooled, I began to regret the manner in which I responded to you. Your letter then showed me the injustice of my whole manner towards you and now I not only regret my manner, but the words I used in retaliation,"

Mr. Darcy looked astounded, and replied with great feeling, "But what words did you use that I did not deserve? The recollection of what I then said, of my conduct, my manners, my expressions during the whole of our acquaintance, is now, inexpressibly painful to me. And how I must have injured you with that most atrocious of proposals. If only I could have stilled my tongue! As for my letter, I fear I wrote it in the bitterest of spirits and it is now causing you more pain than I would ever want. I beg you to burn it and forget what I wrote within,"

Elizabeth blinked and quickly said, "Your letter perhaps, began with some bitterness, but continued with more poise than I could have had in relating such dreadful circumstances. You ended, with great charity that proves you to be a good, honourable man. I am glad you did not let your aversion of me stop you from clarifying my understanding of Mr. Wickham's character. I can now return to Longbourn and warn my family to the dangers such a man presents," She looked intently at Mr. Darcy's face to see if he understood that she believed all that he wrote, but she was shocked to see the pain etched in his countenance.

"Aversion?" he whispered, gripping her hand, "Oh Elizabeth, I could never despise you! I will admit to some anger after your refusal, but I soon was able to turn that anger back upon myself and began to attend to your reproofs. It is only a beginning, but I hope with time to be worthy of you. You have made me a better man,"

Elizabeth could no longer bear the intensity of his gaze, and thus stood up and walked to the window, eyes focused on the blizzard outside. She heard Mr. Darcy stand up abruptly then walk heavily to the opposite side of the room. A cupboard opened and the sound of clicking glasses echoed over the crackling of the fire and the scratching of the storm at the window. Elizabeth peeked over her shoulder and saw Mr. Darcy toss back a glass of brandy, and then pour another. He brought the glass to his lips, but this time took a small drink. Elizabeth suddenly realized he took her removal from his presence as a rejection of his person. This was confirmed when he looked up at her from across the room with so bleak expression that she felt her heart near break at being the cause of it.

Unconsciously she crossed the room towards him, while he remained frozen with brandy glass in hand. "Mr. Darcy ..." she began once she stood before him, but he abruptly turned back to the table and poured another glass of brandy. Faltering, she cast her eyes back upon the floor in front of her and was surprised when he addressed her.

"Miss Bennet?" Mr. Darcy asked, handing her a brandy glass of her own. "This will help warm you,"

Elizabeth reluctantly took the glass, but took a drink upon noticing the earnestness of his countenance. The liquid burned a little as it went down before it landed in a warm spot in the center of her, spreading the heat outwards. She smiled at Mr. Darcy and took a larger sip and sat down on the sofa nearby. He hesitated before picking up his own glass and sitting next to her. There were a few more moments of silence, but it was more companionable than earlier. They sat as such for several minutes, and Elizabeth became less content simply listening to the howling wind outside, and the beating of her own heart. She knew she must say something, lest they part forever with all this between them. Yes, she had apologized and he seemed surprisingly to not hate her. However, she felt she needed to make it explicitly clear that she did not _hate _him. She had despised him, but her opinion had changed and she could not bear him leaving and thinking she thought ill of him.

"Mr. Darcy, I find that before we part ways I must say something further. I know that there is much between us that must be settled. Mr. Wickham is not worth further mention, with my complete erring in that regard. Though I am vexed by your highhanded dealings in the matter of my sister and Mr. Bingley, when I think back and understand your motives, there is little I can fault you with as I would probably have acted similarly if the situations were reversed. If I felt that my sister had all the affection and Mr. Bingley little affected, I would have done what I could to protect her from disappointment. Your actions were at least motivated by friendship, so I fear the bulk of the blame does lie with Mr. Bingley for being so easily persuaded against his own feelings and his sisters for the maliciousness in which they forwarded the separation,"

Here, Mr. Darcy interrupted, "It is a credit to your generous, forgiving heart, to so easily forgive my part in your sister and my friend's present unhappiness. I cannot allow myself to ignore how callously it appears I have acted- in not being able to determine Miss Bennet's affections, and in the absence of proof of love, immediately took it as a heart not easily touched and amenable to persuasion by your mother. I realize now, how proper your sister had acted, to not expose herself to ridicule by acting like a flirtatious, simpering woman but rather, a polite, unassuming lady. I fear my exposure to matchmaking mamas and fortune hunting adventuresses in London has jaded me to discovering the affections of a truly well bred lady."

Elizabeth immediately understood the allusion and felt again her own foolishness in not detecting his own partiality for her. And she was more affected by his self-recrimination than she liked. She therefore continued, "My forgiveness did not come so easily as you believe, but since my forgiveness to you came after a greater understanding of your character and motives, its strength is not easily waned. Therefore, when I say I have forgiven you, I have done so whole heartedly and it was not easily granted. I strive to remember the past only as it gives me pleasure. Therefore, on the matter of Mr. Bingley and Jane I will try to remember it as Jane was not very open in her affections and you were worried that your friends would therefore make an unequal match. You advised him to remain in town to prevent him from making an offer of marriage you feared would only be accepted by the persuasion of the bride's mother, who is so set upon having her daughters' marry well that she cares not for mutual affection or compatibility of character,"

Mr. Darcy made a slight smile in return, "In this light, you make my actions seem quite noble, when I know they were much more influenced by my own selfish nature. You are being far too kind to this unwitting villain,"

Elizabeth laughed, "Too kind sir? Well if your selfish nature is influencing what might have been noble actions, I must make it my life's work to encourage your noble nature by teasing you mercilessly when you are being the least bit selfish,"

Elizabeth heard Mr. Darcy's breath catch and immediately blushed upon realizing what her words had indicated. She quickly took another drink to cover her embarrassment, but was overcome with a coughing fit. Mr. Darcy immediately was before her, rubbing her back soothingly and took her glass away and set it aside. When the fit was over, Elizabeth was immediately reminded of the exquisite feelings that had perfused her when Mr. Darcy had carried her to the cabin. The same feelings threatened to overwhelm her as he pressed her close to him in an effort to comfort her and as his warm breath tickled her cheek and neck so intimately. Before she could stop herself, she turned to look up at him. Their eyes met briefly before Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy's eyes drift down to her lips.

"Elizabeth..." he whispered reverently, brushing a stray hair behind her ear before he eliminated the remaining distance between them and crushed his lips to hers. His left hand remained on her neck, cradling her head, while his right hand ran down her back slowly, pulling her near onto his lap.

Elizabeth's reaction was entirely complimentary. Her heart felt ready to burst the moment his lips found hers and she immediately moved to prolong the contact. She ran one hair through his delightfully tousled hair and grabbed onto the revers at the collar of his lawn shirt, loosening his cravat. As he deepened the kiss, Elizabeth could no longer repress a moan and moved to employ both her hands in the expedient removal of his neck cloth. The warmth she had felt earlier was nothing to what she was feeling now, and despite her fears of where this would lead and the future beyond it, the _rightness_ of being in Mr. Darcy's embrace was overwhelming every intelligent thought in her head.

Several moments later, Mr. Darcy's lips failed to return to hers after a breath, and Elizabeth lazily opened her eyes to find his eyes staring at her with an incomprehensible expression. Elizabeth smiled shyly and immediately Mr. Darcy's eyes softened, but there was an apprehension in his eyes. On impulse, she moved in and gave him a quick kiss before pulling back and blushing at her actions. Despite her embarrassment, she was unable to miss the pure heartfelt delight that was displayed on Mr. Darcy's face and so could not bring herself to regret her actions.

Mr. Darcy stood up quickly and walked towards the brandy bottle, but halfway there, he turned back and looked at her, and just as quickly returned to his place beside her on the sofa.

"Elizabeth," he began, holding her gaze so tenderly, Elizabeth thought she would melt. "I am most infinitely glad for the events that brought us together again and have allowed us to reach an understanding of each other. However, despite my expectations this morning when I handed you that wretched letter, this interlude has taught me to hope when all I could imagine was despair. May I ask if your feelings towards me have materially changed?"

Elizabeth smiled more brightly than she ever had in his presence, "Indeed sir, my feelings are now quite the opposite of what I previously believed them to be,"

Darcy looked at her all the more earnestly, "My dear Elizabeth, by you I have been rightly humbled, but I know there is much more to my character that need to be altered. Will you do me the very great honour of teaching me to be the gentleman you wish me to be?"

Elizabeth's eyes threatened to fill with tears at the candidness of his speech, and she was easily touched by how humble he was in opening himself up to her, so soon after she had so easily and viciously dismissed him. His feelings had not changed, had endured disappointment of the greatest kind, and were so deeply a part of him, that it opened him to his own faults. As for her own feelings, they were truly quite the opposite.

In Hertfordshire, she claimed the deepest dislike for him, based solely on injured vanity, wilful ignorance and the malicious slander of a vile disgrace to the name gentleman. And now, in the absence of all she had put between them, was an honourable, intelligent man who loved her beyond reason. Could she do anything but love him in return?

Elizabeth raised one of her hands and brushed her fingers lightly along Mr. Darcy's jaw and smiled, "Mr. Darcy, such an undertaking would take a lifetime. However, I fear no one else is up of the challenge of teasing you into better manners,"

Mr. Darcy had no response to such a statement except to take her in his arms again and put both their mouths to much more pleasure occupation than discussion of forgiveness or character. When their lips parted this time, Mr. Darcy held Elizabeth to his side, and she simply rested her head on his shoulder. There was a sort of domestic attitude to be cuddling together before the fire that was so very gratifying to both that it was some time before Elizabeth recalled where they were and that she had been quite absent from the parsonage for some hours.

Blushing, Elizabeth slowly pulled from Mr. Darcy's embrace and moved towards where her spencer and bonnet were hanging by the fire. "Well Mr. Darcy," she began with some embarrassment, "it seems that the wind is dying down and I should take this opportunity to make my way back to civilisation. Will you be joining me?"

Mr. Darcy rose from the sofa and walked towards her, "Certainly not! Neither of us is going anywhere. Have you looked out the window? There are still ice pelts coming down and at any moment, the wind could pick up worse than before. We often have such storms in Derbyshire. Come; let's sit down by the fire again. We have quite a wait ahead of us,"

Elizabeth sighed, turning to look out the window and touched her hand to the cold glass, whispering, "I really can't stay,"

Mr. Darcy took a step closer, until he stood directly behind her, "But Elizabeth, it's cold outside,"

Elizabeth smiled and turned into him, "Sir, a poor excuse! You surely realize the complete impropriety of us being here together, alone. I must return to the parsonage. While I would rather not give up your company so soon, I must leave."

"I think not Miss Bennet," replied Mr. Darcy with a charming smile. "The weather is far too poor to be risking a trek outside. Come, let your coat and bonnet to dry," he took her hands in his and led her back to the sofa. Once they sat down, he began rubbing his hands over hers in a delightfully distracting manner. "My dear, your hands are freezing. I cannot have you further chilled. I am excessively attentive to such things…"

Elizabeth laughed, which quickly turned to quiet sighs as Mr. Darcy began kissing her hands and the insides of her wrist. Feeling her resolve weakening, she tried again, "I have been gone so long, I am sure that Charlotte has started to worry, and Mr. Collins will be pacing the floor, no doubt fearing the condemnation of your Aunt for having such a relation as I. So, really it would be better if I hurried back,"

"Elizabeth…" Mr. Darcy growled, as he began kissing up her arm towards her elbow.

Overwhelmed by the feelings he was creating in her, she knew she needed a little distance before she threw caution completely to the wind and forgot twenty years of ladylike behaviour. "Perhaps," she whispered, trying to steady her breath, "perhaps you could get me another drink,"

Mr. Darcy finally paused, and looked upon her flushed face before quickly agreeing and left her to refill their glasses. As they sat a little more separately to sip their brandy, Elizabeth felt her mind clear enough to attempt another argument. "Sir, you know I do have my reputation to think about. If too much time passes and my absence is made known about the neighbourhood, I know not what malicious gossip could be spread. My reputation could be torn to shreds along with that of my sisters,"

Mr. Darcy laughed heartily and Elizabeth quickly found herself back in his arms, empty brandy glasses abandoned on the floor. "My God, you are beautiful," whispered Mr. Darcy, running his fingers reverently through her hair; his lips hovering above her own. "I'm not letting you go anywhere, reputations be damned. I fully intend to make you my wife as soon as this storm allows, so it hardly signifies what they gossip about. "

"But even after we marry, there will be rumours that I trapped you or seduced you to force you to offer for me,"

Darcy smiled, "To the former, my affection for you will show that I was not led to the altar unwillingly. But I will say that I am quite in favour of your latter suggestion,"

"Mr. Darcy!" Elizabeth playfully admonished, "What a rake you have turned out to be!"

"Most definitely!" was his reply, followed by a brief confirmation of her rebuke. This time, however, it was Mr. Darcy who ended the interlude by pulling back and letting out a sigh. He sighed and rested his forehead against Elizabeth's. "Perhaps you are correct. My self-control has always been severely lacking where you are concerned and I can see the imprudence of the natural conclusion of our actions. I still maintain it is far too risky to leave the cottage, however, a little _distance_ would not be amiss." Slowly, they disentangled their limbs and sat at opposite ends of the sofa. Darcy ran his hands through his hair and absent-mindedly straightened his coat before risking a glance back at Elizabeth.

She had made no attempt to right her person, and just grinned at him, "Is that better Mr. Darcy?"

He groaned and turned to look away from the delightfully dishevelled picture she made and placed his fist to his mouth. After a few moments of slow, deep breathing, he felt up to the task of facing her with a shred of control. He turned to discover her with gown smoothed, and hair tamed; she placed one last curl behind her ear and smiled shyly at him.

"Elizabeth," he whispered and held out his hand, which she took immediately. They sat in companionable silence, staring into the fire until all passion had cooled. Elizabeth revelled in the ease she now felt in Mr. Darcy's company, and amazed at how, if it were not for the providence of the storm, she may never have gotten the chance to reconcile with him, and begin to learn about the real man beneath his proud and intimidating manner. Her newly discovered feelings for him were quite disconcerting, as well as the ease in which they could overwhelm her. It seemed too much too quickly, but the course of her relationship with Mr. Darcy was anything but usual.

They spent the next hour in companionable conversation, revelling in how well their opinions coincided on many topics and the joy they received in arguing when their opinions we in no such harmony. At last their discussion turned to a topic that was necessary to their future happiness.

"I myself am all for whisking you directly to Scotland, or the Continent, but I believe it would be most prudent to publish the banns and marry as soon as we may,"

"In light of our having spent several hours together, I agree that a speedy marriage would counteract any harmful gossip. However, as I have yet to hear an offer of marriage, or any slurs to my character, I see no reason that I should marry you at all,"

Darcy blinked several times at such a response them laughed heartily before pulling her into an amorous embrace. "Perhaps I shall simply carry you all the way back to the parsonage and kiss you senseless in the front garden!"

"Fitzwilliam Darcy! Unkindly done! You shall scandalize the servants, shock poor Maria Lucas and send Mr. Collins in apoplexy!"

Darcy grinned, "What of your friend, Mrs. Collins?"

Elizabeth smiled, "Oh, we will have her whole-hearted approval. She was always telling me that you had an interest and that I should snatch you up however I could!"

"Would becoming lost in an unseasonable snow flurry and forcing a gentleman to rescue you be a means of which she would approve?"

"Oh, most definitely! Though, perhaps she would say I should not have been so brazen as to accept a letter from you."

Elizabeth discovered that there was great pleasure to be found in causing Mr. Darcy to laugh and knew it would be her duty to elicit such as reaction as often as she could. She watched as Mr. Darcy rose from his spot next to her and went to inspect the view from one of the windows. This afforded her considerable admiration of his posterior profile and found much that pleased her. It was astounding how quickly her feelings for the man had grown in such a few short hours!

"The weather has cleared," Darcy announced and drew back from the glass to look at Elizabeth. "I'm afraid our seclusion has come to an end and we must venture back into society. You must, at least, allow me to escort you to the parsonage lane. You can say you found shelter here; I will take my cue from my man, Howe. He was covering for my absence to deliver that letter. If there was not too much attention, then I may have been ensconced in my chambers this whole time."

Elizabeth grinned saucily and rose to meet him. "I thought disguise of every sort was your abhorrence!"

Darcy pulled her into his embrace. "So now you wish me to shock the neighbourhood by stating I spent several hours alone with a young, beautiful gentlewoman in a secluded cottage in a considerable state of undress?"

"Undress?! I believe that would be an exaggeration sir!"

"If we do not leave this building shortly, you will find, madam, that it is entirely the truth!"

A quick kiss later, Darcy was helping Elizabeth with her spencer, helping her straighten her clothing. This took considerable more time than to regulate Darcy's clothing; I few adjustments and he looked masculine perfection. When Elizabeth mentioned this to him, Darcy's lips were on her's again for but a moment before he responded, "I am most gratified you think so my dear. I have long considered you the most beautiful woman of my acquaintance. With my own masculine perfection, we shall be the most sickingly besotted couple. But come, we must be on our way. I suppose my departure from Rosings is to be delayed, but there are still things to be accomplished."

The pair left the hunting lodge after Darcy had put out the fire and Elizabeth replaced the empty glasses and bottle of brandy back in the cupboard. There was not really much snow on the ground, an inch or two at most, and with the sun beginning to peak out from behind the clouds, the snow would begin to melt before long.

"It is odd that there should be a snow in early spring. And so far south! We have not had snow at Longbourn since February."

"At Pemberley, we have had snow this late many years. I even remember one April, we received several inches that lasted a few days before it began to melt."

"Then it is good that I dearly love the snow," Elizabeth replied and placed her free hand on Darcy's arm. This elicited a warm smile from her companion and Elizabeth knew that she had somehow come to love this man.

They had nearly reached the parsonage lane when Darcy halted their progress and turned to face Elizabeth. "May I call on you while you visit in London? If you wish, I shall bring Bingley along. I have not seen him in some weeks, but he had all the appearance of still suffering over your sister."

Elizabeth smiled at Darcy; he was truly the best of men. "I thank you sir. I believe my sister suffers greatly as well. All I ask is that they have a chance to meet again. I shall not mention to my sister the possibility of his coming if you cannot convince him to accompany you. Maria and I leave Hunsford in a little more than a week and we will tarry at Gracechurch a few days before returning to Hertfordshire. I shall expect you to attend me as often as you can manage."

Darcy took one of Elizabeth's hands and raised it to his lips, "I shall endeavour to please you by arriving the very afternoon of your arrival." He then quickly looked about them before leaning in to give Elizabeth a brief kiss. "If I am to be deprived of your company for a week, then I need something to tide me over."

Elizabeth smiled saucily, "Then I sir, shall endeavour to please you," and in a move that surprised them both with her boldness, Elizabeth grabbed Darcy by the lapels and pulled him down into a searing kiss that lasted several minutes and involved the acquaintance of tongues. When they parted, both were panting and flushed.

"Dear Lord, Elizabeth! However do you expect me to let you walk away now?"

"With a great deal of reluctance, Fitzwilliam, but you shall manage admirably I imagine. A week apart and a week together in London before you can follow me to Hertfordshire. After a few visits, it will be safe for you to ask my father for my hand. I am most ashamed I was untempered in my feelings for you in the fall, and this became my father's only opinion of your character. I shall write him a letter today to begin the softening of his opinion and after seeing us in company a few times, I am sure he will be resigned to the match. And if you play your cards right with my mother, we can be married with little delay, especially if you spend your time prodigiously in Town to buy a license."

"I will endeavour to keep busy settling as many affairs as I can to prepare for our wedding and marriage while I am without you. But I will still be counting the hours until I see you again."

With another kiss bestowed on her hand, Elizabeth curtsied in adieu before forcing herself to turn down to path to the parsonage. Every few moments, she looked back to see Darcy watching her and at the bend of the road, when he would be out of her view, she raised a hand and waved.

When she arrived at the parsonage, it was a flurry of activity and Charlotte in the front sitting room, advising a search party on the paths she knew that Elizabeth favoured. There was great confusion and excitement when Elizabeth entered into their midst, and she soon found herself warmly embraced by Mrs. Collins.

"Oh Lizzy! We were so worried! Whatever happened! Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam each stopped by to take their leave. Mr. Darcy remained only a few minutes but the Colonel sat and waited for you to return. When the weather turned foul and it was apparent you were not to return, he braved a trip to Rosings to organize a search party! I am so glad you are safe; we feared the worst!"

Once she was freed from Charlotte's embrace she turned to the others in the room and thanked them for the service they would have preformed. She gave especial thanks to the Colonel for his vigilance and concern, and he soon left to return to Rosings, bestowing a kiss on her gloved hand;. it was nothing to Darcy's kiss.

After much fussing by Charlotte and Mariah, Elizabeth was allowed to retire to her room and a warm bath. Charlotte had easily accepted her explanation of taking refuge in a cottage before trudging her way home. Her friend was organizing for Elizabeth to receive her dinner in her room to allow her to rest, and avoid any comments from Mr. Collins. The solitude allowed Elizabeth to think upon the most unusual and wonderful of days. When she peered out of the window as she dried her hair, the snow upon the ground was melted into the ground and appeared to have done no harm to the spring blooms. Beyond a bit of mud, it was as though the snow had never happened at all.

Elizabeth removed Darcy's letter from her dress pocket and lay upon her bed to read it again. Yes, Fitzwilliam Darcy was the best of men, who was willing to admit when he was mistaken and at fault and forgive her when she was wrong as well. He was handsome, well formed and well educated. He was her equal and Elizabeth could not have created a more perfect man for her husband. With such strong personalities and opinions between them, life would never be dull! She thanked God for the providence of the storm to allow them to resolve all that was between them and for opening her mind to where her heart was leading. She thanked God for Fitzwilliam Darcy, and that most unseasonable of flurries.


End file.
